I am afraid.
I am afraid of books. I am afraid of movies. I am afraid of TV shows. I am afraid of stories.
When I was little, I was never afraid of these things. The books I read ended happily, the scary parts in the movies never lasted long, at the end of the show everything was okay again.
Somewhere along the way, everyone decided that happy endings were overrated, fake, annoying, unnecessary. And now I am afraid.
I pick up a book, and I think, What if I love a character, and they die? What if something terrible happens and it ends badly? I look at movie plots and don't want to put forth the necessary energy to invest myself in a story that may or may not resolve itself. I watch fewer and fewer TV shows because there is never the assurance that, at the end, it will all be okay.
These things are supposed to offer solace, a way to get away from reality and into somewhere safe. But that has been taken away, suddenly what everyone wants is a surprising twist, a mysterious ending, a new and unexpected character, things that make sure that nothing ever works out.
What happened? Am I not supposed to expect books and movies to be safe? Is there not supposed to be some sort of comfort in curling up with them and getting away from the world? Did everyone suddenly agree that this support shouldn't exist anymore?
It's everywhere. Every book I pick up always has a sequel, is always part of a series that is never resolved. No one ever lives happily after, but I never find that out before I have pooled my heart and soul with the characters.
Yes, there are exceptions. There are authors and directors and producers that can be trusted, there is always something that is okay, is safe, is dependable. But it is the exception, not the rule.
Media is suddenly now just another reflection of reality, as if we need that. I have all of the reality I can handle, and I don't read or watch TV to come face-to-face with that.
Apparently stories aren't meant to soothe us but to stir us up, to never resolve things but always keep them open. Things are never what they seem and nothing is what it should be.
This was decided without speaking. It was a change, and most people agreed, and it went into motion. Now the goal is completely different. We're supposed to be shocked, startled, stunned, surprised. Nothing can be expected, nothing can be certain, nothing can be warm and fuzzy.
The world is getting darker and it's cracking at the edges and the mutation of stories is just another step towards our entire world shattering into thousands of pieces.
Am I the only one who feels this way, who thinks this?
When I was little, I was never afraid of these things. The books I read ended happily, the scary parts in the movies never lasted long, at the end of the show everything was okay again.
Somewhere along the way, everyone decided that happy endings were overrated, fake, annoying, unnecessary. And now I am afraid.
I pick up a book, and I think, What if I love a character, and they die? What if something terrible happens and it ends badly? I look at movie plots and don't want to put forth the necessary energy to invest myself in a story that may or may not resolve itself. I watch fewer and fewer TV shows because there is never the assurance that, at the end, it will all be okay.
These things are supposed to offer solace, a way to get away from reality and into somewhere safe. But that has been taken away, suddenly what everyone wants is a surprising twist, a mysterious ending, a new and unexpected character, things that make sure that nothing ever works out.
What happened? Am I not supposed to expect books and movies to be safe? Is there not supposed to be some sort of comfort in curling up with them and getting away from the world? Did everyone suddenly agree that this support shouldn't exist anymore?
It's everywhere. Every book I pick up always has a sequel, is always part of a series that is never resolved. No one ever lives happily after, but I never find that out before I have pooled my heart and soul with the characters.
Yes, there are exceptions. There are authors and directors and producers that can be trusted, there is always something that is okay, is safe, is dependable. But it is the exception, not the rule.
Media is suddenly now just another reflection of reality, as if we need that. I have all of the reality I can handle, and I don't read or watch TV to come face-to-face with that.
Apparently stories aren't meant to soothe us but to stir us up, to never resolve things but always keep them open. Things are never what they seem and nothing is what it should be.
This was decided without speaking. It was a change, and most people agreed, and it went into motion. Now the goal is completely different. We're supposed to be shocked, startled, stunned, surprised. Nothing can be expected, nothing can be certain, nothing can be warm and fuzzy.
The world is getting darker and it's cracking at the edges and the mutation of stories is just another step towards our entire world shattering into thousands of pieces.
Am I the only one who feels this way, who thinks this?